Arch Intern Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Adherence to aspirin in the prevention of myocardial infarction. The Physicians' Health Study.
The primary aim of this article was to explore, in subgroup analyses, whether participants with differing frequencies of aspirin consumption in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, primary prevention trial had different magnitudes of benefit in the prevention of myocardial infarction. Secondary aims were to identify factors associated with adherence and to examine the relationship of adherence with cardiovascular outcomes in the placebo group. ⋯ These subgroup data raise the possibility that a less than alternate day aspirin regimen may yield lower benefits in the prevention of myocardial infarction. Alternate explanations are that these analyses reflect either the play of chance or effects of uncontrolled confounding since comparisons were no longer randomized. Randomized trials are necessary to address the question of frequency of administration of aspirin to achieve optimal benefits in primary prevention of myocardial infarction.
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Multicenter Study
A detailed evaluation of patients with acute pulmonary embolism and low- or very-low-probability lung scan interpretations.
To determine the clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) and low- or very-low-probability ventilation-perfusion lung scan interpretations. ⋯ Patients with a history of immobilization, trauma to the lower extremities, recent surgery, or central venous instrumentation were more likely to have false-negative lung scan interpretations. Therefore, this population warrants special attention when deciding on the need for peripheral venous studies or angiography in patients with low- or very-low-probability lung scan interpretation.